(I dig the) Campus Roots Cooperative Garden

This weekend the Campus Roots Cooperative Garden club dug up the new and soon to be planted Campus Community Garden. I missed a bunch of the fun times, but still took some photo’s of the work done and felt a twinge a pride of the UofL community. Call me sentimental but I am pretty stoked to see all these individuals come together from different groups to create something beautiful.

This has been a long process and over the past two years Kyle Robinson and others have worked incredibly hard to make this happen, and now that it is I can only imagine the excitement these individuals must feel.

Well done, Roots Club, well done!

You can sign up for the Garden’s communal and individual plots here.

Love,

The ULSU (and the earth)

CAUS: Budget 2009 Gives Students More of the Same

Budget 2009 gives students more of the same

Edmonton, AB – The Alberta 2009 budget puts the government into the red, but avoids passing down cuts into post-secondary education. Minister of Finance and Enterprise Iris Evans announced that Government of Alberta would be continuing their previous commitments in post-secondary education but unveiled little in the way of new spending or programs that were not previously announced.

“There is a missed opportunity to make post-secondary education the key to our economic recovery,” said Beverly Eastham, chair of the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS). “But students are relieved to see that the government is not reversing the many gains that have been made in the last few years.”

Included in yesterday’s budget is a 6% increase to the base operating grants for universities. This will ensure that tuition does not go up past inflation and that Alberta’s universities do not face cuts similar to the early 1990’s. However, students and universities will continue to face serious challenges next year and throughout the duration of the economic downturn, as no new funding was announced within the student financial aid program despite rising costs in getting a degree.

“We are still far from having the most affordable universities in Canada or meeting the challenges in providing a higher quality education-but it is good that the province is not looking to put more of the cost onto students this budget,” concluded Eastham. “We wanted to see more funding and lower tuition, but this is fortunately not a step backwards.”

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The Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) represents the interests of students at the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge.

For more information contact:
Beverly Eastham
CAUS Chair
tel: 780-492-4236
cell: 780-237-1707

Last Lecture 2009 podcasted

As a gift,

The lovely folks at CRDC recorded the 2009 Last Lecture series featuring Craig Milner, Robin Bright and Chris Kukucha. The video podcast is available on the Uleth itunes found on the new Unews site.

Or just click on THIS.

Love,

The ULSU and CRDC

Vice President Research candidates present

Over the past year I have been involved in the search for the new Vice President Research for the University of Lethbridge. We have two excellent candidates now and they are both presenting for the university public next week.

Dear Members of the University Community:

I am writing to update you on the progress of the search to appoint a new Vice-President Research and to invite you to participate in the next phase of the progress.

The Search Committee has met several times over the last few months and reviewed the files of a number of individuals who had expressed an interest in the position.  Most recently, we conducted interviews on campus with a few of these individuals.

The Committee has invited two candidates to visit campus and to participate in the public part of the interview process.  These individuals are Dr. Keith Archer and Dr. Daniel Weeks.  Dr. Archer is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary and Director of Research at the Banff Centre.  Dr. Weeks is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University.

Each candidate will present a public lecture on “The Challenges in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity and How They Can Be Addressed at a Canadian University in the 21^st Century”. I encourage you to attend these presentations.

Dr. Archer will present at 9:00 am on Wednesday, April 1 in W646 (the Board Room)

Dr. Weeks will present at 9:00 am on Thursday, April 2 in W646 (the Board Room)

I also want to encourage you to comment in writing to me on your views of the two candidates.   Your comments must be received by the end of the day on Tuesday, April 7. These will be made available only to the Search Committee on a strictly confidential basis to aid them in the evaluation of the candidates.

Each candidate will also meet with representatives of ULFA, the Deans and Executive Directors, the Students’ Union, the Graduate Students Association, Human Resources, Research Services staff, and the Search Committee.

I look forward to seeing you at the public presentations and to receiving your comments.

Thank you.

Bill

All are welcome to come out to see the presentations and give feedback to the committee members about the candidates and how you believe they would fit in with the University community and how they would drive the research opportunities here at the University.

Please feel free to contact me further in any questions you may have about this process,

Jenn Prosser

VP Academic

5days for homeless kicks off at the UofL

The 5 Days for Homeless kicked off last night and the five very generous souls who have volunteered for this great cause will be sleeping outside the Students’ Union building for this entire week raising visible awareness and money for the Wood’s Homes here in Lethbridge.

If you are in around the university this week be sure to have some spare change to throw in their canisters or keep your eyes peeled for their donation stations set up around the school.

For more information on this cross country fundraiser initiative and very worthy cause check out 5days.ca

Their goal is to raise $10 000.00 this year and with everyone’s help and donations I fully believe it can be achieved. Private and corporate donations are welcome just contact Amanda ( a tireless coordinator) at amanda.miller2@uleth.ca or check out the Facebook event.

Myself, Brodie, Adam and Eric will all be there Wednesday night after the Zoo show and Thursday morning so come by to drop off some change and give a little to those who very much need it.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

The three R’s, update and relocated

Remember back in October when I wrote to you, lamenting the awkward arrangement of paper recycling receptacles at our school? I know that I was not alone in this because paper recycling was a concern that many students brought up last year while I was campaigning. Well, we will soon be able to put those dark days behind us! Yesterday I spoke with Ms. Jaeger who is the head of caretaking services and she agreed to adopt my suggestions which included:

1. Move one of the two receptacles located at the copy centre in section D level 6 to section C level 6.
2. Move one of the two receptacles located outside of D528 to level 6, B section.
3. Move one of the two receptacles located at the copy centre in the 9^th level of the library to the bottom of the stairs where it is more visible.
4. Add a new receptacle in the Coulee Junction seating area.

This means that the will be more receptacles on level 6 of Uhall, a new arrangement of receptacles in the library, and a new receptacle in Coulee Junction. Now you will never have an excuse to throw your papers in the garbage again. Ms. Jaeger told me that caretaking services will be making these changes this month, so be on the lookout for more convenient recycling receptacles.

I also spoke to Ms. Jaeger about setting up a compost receptacle for students in the food court. She informed me that it would be possible so long as we create a compost awareness and information campaign. This means that it could happen, but that it’s up to us to prove that we will dispose of our food waste without contaminating receptacles with animal products and plastics.

- Kendall Yamagishi, Arts and Science Faculty representative

Re-scheduling of final’s or: so, when am I going to get to go home?

Just a quick update on exam re-scheduling…

They are still set for Wednesday December 17th and you should have been contacted through your class list by your professor at this point to give you further information. Please refer to the post below to get further information on the exam re-scheduling or go to the Uleth notice board.

Professors will be trying to accommodate any exam scheduling issues.

If you are having any problems what-so-ever please feel free to contact me at 403 329 2770 or su.academic@uleth.ca.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

Exams cancelled Saturday Dec. 13th or: SNOW DAY (for real this time)

*****All exams will be canceled December 13th 2008 due to impending storm*****

The current status:

As per instructions from University of Lethbridge Head Honcho Extraordinaire, all exams (including WEB CT) will be re-scheduled for December 17th 2008. Exams will take place in the same room and at same time of the original exam scheduling.

All students who this affects should receive an e-mail from their professor today confirming this.

If you are unable to make the new exam date and time due to travel constraints, you are to contact your professor immediately to schedule an exam time with them that will work. All professors are expected to accommodate students in this manner to the best of their ability.

If you find you and your professor are unable to work out arrangements to write the final exam, please contact your faculty’s Dean’s Office immediately.

Calgary campus student exams are also postponed on Saturday, December 13 and will be rescheduled. Please contact the Calgary Campus office at (403) 284-8596 to confirm a new date/time.

Edmonton campus exams are NOT AFFECTED and are scheduled to take place as planned.

Faculty contact information:

Faculty of Arts and Science
Dean’s office (403) 329-2440 / (403) 329-5101
Academic Advising
http://www.uleth.ca/fas/advising/index.html
Arts and Science students are asked to call (403) 329-5109 or e-mail Dr. Craig Monk (monk@uleth.ca) to clarify how their exam can be re-scheduled.

Faculty of Management
Voice: 403.329.5148
Fax: 403.329.2038
General Inquiries: management.dean@uleth.ca
Student Inquiries: undergrad.management@uleth.ca
http://www.uleth.ca/man/

Faculty of Education
http://www.uleth.ca/edu/
Student Program Services, Faculty of Education
ph: (403) 329-2254
fax (403) 329-2412
edu.sps@uleth.ca

Faculty of Fine Arts
http://www.uleth.ca/finearts/faculty-fine-arts/student-advising
Dean’s Office
phone: 403-329-2126
fax: 403-382-7127
finearts@uleth.ca

School of Health Sciences
http://www.uleth.ca/healthsciences/
Health Sci – Dean’s Office
Office: AH165 (Anderson Hall)
Phone: (403) 329-2699
Fax: (403) 329-2668
Email: health.sciences@uleth.ca

School of Graduate Studies
http://www.uleth.ca/graduatestudies/
Phone: 403.329.5194
Fax: 403.329.2097
Email: sgsinquiries@uleth.ca

Registrar’s Office
http://www.uleth.ca/ross
Phone: 403-320-5700 Fax: 403-329-5159
Email: inquiries@uleth.ca

For further information please watch the UofL Notice Board.

Open Up! Students, tell us what YOUR story is.

Have a university horror story? Council of Alberta University Student’s is running a province wide contest to get students to open up about the challenges they face in accessing higher education. The contest runs until December 16th and all submissions will be entered to win an ipod.

Any and all submissions are welcome! Submissions can focus on any challenges you face be it tuition charges, housing, transportation, transfer credits, poor classroom space….the possibilities are sadly endless.

Photo’s, letters, stories, video, send ‘em all in! Woah, the even rhymed. Sick.

This is great chance for your direct words to be presented to those who can make a difference.We will be collecting all submissions together to form a document using YOUR experiences to present to the Government of Alberta and our respective institutions on what challenges students face in attending post secondary school.

Please send in all submissions to su.academic@uleth.ca or to the front desk of the Students’ Union office here at the UofL, or if you’re in Edmonton or Calgary send your stuff to the respective Student Union offices. All names will be kept confidential. Contest closes December 19th 2008.

For more information please feel free to contact:

Lethbridge: Jenn Prosser, VP Academic ULSU – su.academic@uleth.ca

Calgary: Alastair MacKinnon, VP External UCSU -suvpext@ucalgary.ca

Edmonton: Bev Eastham – VP External UASU – vp.external@su.ualberta.ca

LPRIG brings Nobel Peace Prize winner to the UofL.

All U of L students and faculty are invited to an open reception, to meet Dr. Weaver, at Noon on Friday, November 28th in Ballroom A.

Andrew Weaver, author of the newly released book “Keeping Our Cool: Canada in a Warming World” is set to speak in Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge on Nov. 26, 27, and 28th respectively. Weaver, lead author of “future predictions” section of the IPCC will bring a message of danger and opportunity to Albertans across the province. Weaver will outline the dangers of climate change, the threats the tar sands pose, and what a real turn around would look like.

Dr. Andrew Weaver is one of the world’s leading authorities on global warming and climate change. Andrew Weaver is the author of numerous articles on climate change and has served as a lead author on the United
Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Dr. Weaver is currently a professor in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria and holds the Canada Research Chair in Climate
Modelling and Analysis. Dr. Weaver is also the co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize along with Al Gore.

Dr. Weaver’s visit to Lethbridge is sponsored by the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the Council of Canadians, Lethbridge and District Chapter

For more information, please contact: Sheila at LPIRG  – 403-332-5243